Pilgrimage Church of Saint John of Nepomuk facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Pilgrimage Church of St John of Nepomuk at Zelená hora

UNESCO World Heritage Site
Location	Žďár nad Sázavou, Vysočina Region, Czech Republic
Criteria	Cultural: (iv)
Inscription	1994 (18th Session)
Area	0.64 ha (1.6 acres)
Buffer zone	627.9 ha (1,552 acres)

The Pilgrimage Church of Saint John of Nepomuk is a special church in the Czech Republic. It is located on a hill called Zelená hora, which means "Green Hill." This church is famous because it was designed by a brilliant architect named Jan Santini Aichel. He mixed two old styles of building: Baroque and Gothic.

The church was built to honor John of Nepomuk, a saint. People started building it in 1719. This was after a special discovery about his tongue. The church was finished in 1727. It became a World Heritage Site in 1994. This means it is a very important place for everyone to protect. Santini used a lot of math in his design. The number five is very important in how the church is shaped.

History of the Church

How the Church Was Planned

The idea for the Pilgrimage Church of St. John of Nepomuk came from two people. One was Václav Vejmluva, an abbot from a nearby monastery. The other was the architect Jan Santini Aichel. Abbot Vejmluva really admired John of Nepomuk.

The planning started in 1719. This was after a special event. People found that John of Nepomuk's tongue was still preserved. This discovery made the abbot want to build a church for the saint. He shared his ideas with Santini.

Santini took the abbot's ideas and made them into something amazing. He used a star pattern in the church's design. The building was finished very quickly, by 1722. This was because the abbot and Santini worked together so well. They both understood a lot about symbols.

Santini's original drawing from the 18th century

What Happened Later

In 1784, a fire damaged the church's roof. Luckily, local people helped save it from being completely destroyed. The church was repaired a few years later. But it was no longer used for pilgrimages. A cemetery was also moved to the church area.

Today, the cemetery is being moved away. This is to make the church look like it did when it was first built. The church became state property in 1953. But in 2014, it was given back to the Catholic Church.

What the Church Looks Like

The church dome

The Church's Shape and Plan

The church and its surrounding walkway are built as one design. Santini's design is simple but very powerful. It mixes Baroque and Gothic styles. This reminds us of the time when John of Nepomuk lived.

The church's design is based on circles. The number five is used again and again. This is because of a legend. Five stars are said to have appeared above John of Nepomuk's body when he died.

Santini often used a compass to design his buildings. He used circles and specific numbers. For this church, he used the number 5 (for the stars). He also used the number 3 (for the Trinity) and the number 6 (for Saint Mary). John of Nepomuk was known to admire Mary.

Because of this, the church has five chapels with triangular shapes. It also has five chapels with oval shapes. The whole church looks a bit like the end part of a Gothic cathedral. The church's tall design makes visitors look up. It feels like looking up to heaven.

View of the dome

Inside the Church

Inside the church, there are oval chapels around the edge. These connect to the main central area. The main area has a special ceiling called a vault. It is held up by ten pillars. There are also balconies on the first floor.

The second floor has a gallery with ten pieces of art. The decorations on the walls look like Gothic arches. Santini used light in a special way inside the church. He believed light showed God's presence. Some people call this "sacred light."

The way light enters the church is interesting. The main central area gets light indirectly. But the side parts of the church are filled with light. This light then shines into the central area. It makes the walls seem like a thin shell. It feels like the whole building is held up by light itself. The church is also seen as a special container. It holds the idea of John of Nepomuk's tongue.

Central area and two floors

The Main Altar

The main altar is on the eastern side of the church. It is very tall and reaches up to the second floor. There are five angel carvings on the altar. The number five again points to John of Nepomuk. There are also carvings of the Four Evangelists. These were made by Jan Pavel Čechpauer.

Three of the angels hold a sphere. This sphere represents the sky. It is decorated with five stars. A statue of St. John of Nepomuk stands on the sphere. This statue was made by Řehoř Theny. He also made carvings for a special carrier. This carrier was for a silver statue of St. John of Nepomuk. That silver statue disappeared after 1784.

Main altar

Around the Church

Around the church, there is a circular walkway called a cloister. It has ten sections. These sections are made up of five chapels and five gates. The roof of each chapel used to have five pointed towers. These towers showed the idea of light and forever.

The cloister and chapels were places for pilgrims to pray. They also offered shelter when the weather was bad. The church and its surroundings show Santini's amazing building skills.

Cloister divided by gates and chapels

See also

• History of early modern period domes

Gallery

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  Ceiling of church

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  Stellar ornament

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  Aerial footage of church

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  Detail of angel

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  Scripture in front of the main altar

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  View from second level

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  Upward view inside church